Sewing-machine



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SEWING MACHINE.

No. 316,927. Patented Apr. 28; I885.

INVENTEIRE V\/lTNEEE|EE1 (ModeL) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

RWOODWARD & T, K. KEITH:

SEWING MACHINE- 110.316.927. Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

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SEWING MACHINE.

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SBWING MACHINE- No. 316,927. Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

INVENTEI E.

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20 elevation of the arrangements of stitches.

tail of feeding devices.

5 is connected by NrTnn STATES PATENT Fries.

ERASTUS WOODWVARD, OF SOMERVILLE, AND THOMAS K. KEITH, OF HAV- n EEHILL,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE PENTUCKET VARIABLE STITCH SEWING MACHINECOMPANY, OF EXETER,

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,927, dated April28, 1885. Application filed November 15, 1553. (Model) a sewing-machinecapable of forming elongated stitches on the surface of material to beornamented, and of arranging said stitches in a variety of ornamentalforms; and it consists in the improved mechanism hereinafter de scribedand claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a front elevation of our improved sewing-machine.Fig. 2 represents a right-hand end same. Fig. 3 represents a rearelevation. Fig. 4 representsasection on line 00 00, Fig. 3. Fig. 5represents a longitudinal vertical central section. Fig. 6 represents aleft-hand end view. Fig. 7 repre-- sents a section on'line y y, Fig. 1,looking downwardly. Fig. 8 represents a section on line 2 2, Fig. 1,looking downwardly. Fig. 9 represents an enlargement of a portion ofFig. 8. Figs. 10, 10, and 10 represent different Fig. 11 representsa-section on line 00 00', Fig. 1. Fig. 12 represents a section on line yy, Fig. 1. Figs. 13 and 14 represent detail views. Fig. 15 is aperspective View of the feeder; Fig. 16, a de Fig. 17 is a face View ofglobe-cam.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the drawings, or represents the overhangarm of the machine, and b thebed.

0 represents the needle-bar, which is operated in the usual manner by arotating shaft,

of, the latter being journaled in the arm a and provided at its rear endwith a crank, e, which a connecting-rod,f, with a crank, g, on an arbor,h, which is journaled in hangers below the bed I) and is rotated byaconnection with the main driving-shaft t, as hereinafter described. Theconnecting-rod f is provided with aslot, 9', through which passes arm orfinger,

a pivot-pin, 7c, affixed to the arm a, the rod f being thus adapted tooscillate, and to reciprocate longitudinally. The rotary movements ofthe arbor h are caused by the crank g, pivoted slotted rod f, and cranke to rotate the shaft d and reciprocate the needle-bar.

Z represents the shuttle, which moves in a segmental shuttle-race, m,and is carried by an oscillating lever, n, the pivot 0 of which is thecenter of the circle of which the race at is a segment. The rear end ofthe lever n projects into a cam-groove, 19, formed in a cup-shaped orconcave disk, q, the surface of which is a segment of a hollow spherewhose center is in the vertical plane of the center of the pivot 0. Thisform of the disk q enables its camgroove to maintain the same relationto the lever n in all of the positions which thelatter may assume. Thecam-disk q is secured to a shaft, 0', which is arranged in line with themain driving-shaft i, but is disconnected there from, and is providedwith a pinion, s,'meshing with a pinion, t, on the shaft h, abovedescribed, which operates the needle-bar shaft. Said shaft h is providedwith a pinion, a, meshing with a larger pinion, c, on the maindriving-shaft i. Said pinions s t a 'u are so proportioned that theneedle-bar shaft (Z and the shaft h are rotated more rapidly than themain driving-shaftt' to obtain the required rapidity of movement of .thestitclrforming mechan- The work is held plate of the machine by a smallperforated presser foot, w, through which the needle passes. Saidpresser-foot is carried by a presserbar, a, which is pressed downwardlyby a spring, b, and is raised intermittently by an a, on the rockshaftd, which oscillates the take-up e. Said rock-shaft has an arm, j",bearing against a cam, g, on the needle-bar shaft d, and a spring, h,which presses said arm against the cam 9, said cam "and springoscilllating the rock-shaft and causing it to raise the presser-footintermittently. The presser-bar is provided witha second presser-foot,i, rigidly attached to said bar, and having a segmentally-formedbearing-surface, which cooperates with a feed-dog moving in the arc ofacircle whose center is 5 posite sides of the needle, ous that the formmay be the needle, as hereinafter described. The foot 20 is adapted torise and fall to some extent independently of the presser-bar and of thefoot 2', and is pressed downwardly by a spring, j. The feet t" and w arethus adapted to bear at the same time on different thicknesses of work.

70 represents our universally-movable feeder, which bears on the topsurface of the work, and is serrated or provided with points on itsunder surface, which engage with the work, so that the feeder can movethe Work horizontally in any direction. We prefer to make the feeder inthe forked or U shape shown, its two arms or forks bearing on 'the workat opalthough it is obvivariously modified. The feeder k is pivotallyconnected to a slide or plate, r, adapted to slide in a dovetail slot inan arm, 8, on a shaft, t, whichis journaled in the arm of the machinesubstantially parallel with the needle-bar shaft d, and is adapted bothto rock or oscillate and to move longitudinally in its bearings, andthus impart a variety of horizontal movements to the feeder k. The slideT has a pin, a, which enters a forked arm, a, on a vertical rod or bar,to, which is adapted to slide vertically in the arm a, and is presseddownwardly by a suitable adjustable spring, D, contained in said arm,and is provided with a stud, A, projecting into the slotted end ofalever, B, pivoted within the arm a and bearing at its opposite endagainsta cam, O, on the needle-bar shaft, which cam is formed tointermittently depress the end of the lever B, bearing against it, andthus raise the opposite end with the bar w, slide r, and feeder k, thespring D depressing said bar, slide, and feeder when the receding partof the cam 0 reaches the lever B. The bar 10 is thus operated like thepresser-bar in an ordinary sewing-machine; butits movements are so timedwith relation to the movements ofthe presser-foot that the bar andfeeder are raised when the presser is depressed, and vice versa.

E represents a lever, which is pivoted at F to a collar or blockjournaled on the shaft H and confined between two shoulders or collarsrigidly attached tosaid shaft. Said lever E projects downwardly from theshaft t, and is engaged at its lower end with a grooved cam, G, on thedriving-shaft 2', said cam oscillating the lever E on its pivot.

H represents a verticallyadjustable fulcrum, which projects into agroove, I, in the rear side of the lever E, and is supported in acam-groove, J, formed in a disk, K, which is journaled at L to the arma, said cam-groove being preferably heart-shape, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 3. By rotating the disk K the fulcrum H may be raised orlowered, as the case may be. \Vhen the fulcrum is raised so as to be inline with the pivot F, as shown in Fig. 4, the oscillations of the leverE have no effect on the rock-shaft t, as will be readily seen'; but whenthe fulcrum H is depressed below said pivot it becomes operative as afulcrum, and causes the upper end of the lever E to oscillate, and thusreciprocate the rock-shaft t longitudinally, the length of thereciprocating movement being proportioned to the vertical distancebetween the pivotF and adjustable fulcrum H.

M represents an arm rigidly attached to the rear end of the rock-shaft tand projecting downwardly therefrom. Said arm has an offset at its lowerend, which enters a slot formed in a boss or offset on a lever, N, whichis pivoted at O to the arm of the machine. To the lever N is pivoted atP a second lever, Q, ex-

tending downwardly. To the lower end of the lever Q is pivoted at Rathird lever, S, which extends downwardly, and has an offset-roller atits lower end entering agrooved cam, T, on the driving-shaft t. Thesecond lever, Q, has a vertical groove in its back, into which projectsa vertically-adj ustable fulcrum, U, which is supported by aheart-shaped cam-groove, V, in a disk, W, pivoted at X to the rear endof the arm a. To the third lever, S, is pivoted at Y a fourth lever, Z,which projects downwardly and has an offset or roller at its lower end,which engages with a groove-cam, A, on the driving-shaft i. The fourthlever, Z, has a vertical groove in its back, into which projects afulcrum, B, which is carried by a slide, 0, adapted to move in verticalguides formed in the arm of the machine, and operated by a rock-shaft,D, pivoted on astud attached to the arm of the machine, and hav ing anarm, E, engaged with the slide 0, and a handle or lever, F. By turningthe rock shaft D the fulcrum B is raised or lowered, as

the case may be. The thirdlever, S, and fourth lever, Z, are oscillated,respectively, by the cams T and A, and the second lever, G, is oscillat-ed by its pivotal connection with the third lever,S. When the fulcrumU is below or out of line with the pivot P of the second lever, Q, saidlever in oscillating also oscillates the lever N, and therefore rocksthe shaft t and reciprocates the feeder is toward and from the operator.On the other hand, when the fulcrum U is in line with the pivot P. theoscillations of the second lever, Q, have no effect on the lever N, andthe feeder has no move ment toward and from the operator. The cams T andA are differently timed,so that the movements imparted by them to thelevers S and Z are not wholly, although partially,in unison. when thefulcrum B is in line with the pivot of the fourth lever, Z, theoscillations of said lever will have no effect upon the third lever, S;but when said fulcrum B is moved out of line with said pivot the otherlevers, S Q N, of the system are oscillated by the oscillations of thefourth lever, Z, and their action on the rock-shaft t is modified, aswill be hereinafter explained.

The movements which may be given to the feeder toward and from theoperator, together with the lateral movements caused by the longitudinalreciprocation of the rock-shaft 25, enable any desired series of feedmovements to be givento the work, causing the stitches to be laidthereon in a variety of patterns, some of which are indicated in Figs.10, l0, and 10".

The herring-bone stitch-stitch 2, shown in said Fig. 10is produced asfollows: The fulcrums H and U are both moved out of line with thepivotsF and I, (each the same distance as the other,) and the fulcrum B ismoved a short distance above the pivot Y; When the needle rises from thework, making the first stitch, the feeder is moved diagonally backwardby a combination of the rocking and longitudinal movements of the shaftt, causing the needle in its next descent to place an elongated diagonalstitch on the work. While the needle is down,the feeder is raised andmoved directly forward by a rocking movement of the shaft t, and thendescends whilethe needle is rising. While the needle is above thework,the feeder is moved diagonally forward half the length of thestitch, more or less, according to the position of the fulcrum B, sothat when the needle again descends it forms a back stitch beside theone first formed, but of lesser length. While the needle is down, thefeeder is raised and moved directly forward again, and drops on the workas the needle rises. The feeder then moves diagonally forward, and

moves the work so that the needle in its next descent will make anotherelongated stitch in a different direction from the first. Then ashorterback stitch is made, and so on, every back stitch being shorterthan the other stitches, the shortness of the back stitches being due tothe neutralizing action of the lever Z on the levers S Q N, which rockthe shaft 23, said action taking place only during the backwardmovements of the feeder. The angle at which these stitches are formedand the distance between them depends upon the adj ustment of thefulcrums H U. Said fulcrums are preferably adj usted simultaneously bymeans of a bevel gear -wheel, H, journaled on the same arbor with thedisk K, and engaged with the latter by a pin or screw, 1, which issecured to the disk K, but is capable of being extended so as to enteran orifice in the wheel H when itis desirable to connect said disk andwheel. The teeth of the gear-wheel H mesh with bevel-gear teeth out onthe perimeter of the disk W. We have also made provision for adjustingsaid fulcrums H U automatically, and to this end have secured a ratchet,J, to the disk W, and have provided a reciprocating dog, K, for saidratchet. (See Fig. 2.) Said dog K is pivoted at L to a lug or collar, Lloosely mounted on the arbor of the disk W, and at M to one end of a rodor arm, N,

" from the center\ of the gear-wheel P to vary the other end of which iseccentrically pivoted at O to the side of a gear-wheel, P, journaled ona bearing on the frame of the machine, and meshing with a gear'wheel, Q,on the drivingshaft 1'. The pivot O is adjustable toward and the throwof the rod orarm N, and cause the dog K to slip over one Many desirednumber of teeth on theratchet during its backward design. is produced.tached to an arm, S, on a vertical rock-shaft,

movement. The pivotal connection of the dog K to the collar L causessaid dog toy swing outwardly and clear itself from the ratchet J duringits backward movement, so that there is no clicking or other noiseattending said movement. i By the operation of the devices lastdescribed the herring-bone stitch may be modified or gradually reduced,as shown in Fig. 10.

' The etching-stitch 3 (shown in Fig. 10) is produced by raising thefulcrum H, so as to prevent longitudinal movementof the shaft t andlateral movement of the feeder 7c. The alternating longer forwardstitches and shorter back stitches will then be formed as before; butthe absence of thelateral movement of the feeder will cause saidstitches to lie in line with each other. The representation of theetching-stitch given in the drawings is exaggerated, in that it showsthe stitches as forming a zigzag line. In practice the line formed iwould be straight. 1

To form the sewing-machine stitch 4, raise the fulcrum B as high aspossible, leaving the other fulcrums as before.

the fulcrum B will prevent the formation of any back stitch.

To form the zigzag-stitch 5, adjust the fulcrum H so that the shaft itwill reciprocate longitudinally, leaving the other fulcrums in thepositions last described.

To form the eyelet or radiating stitch 6, we

.place the fulcrum B in line with the pivot Y and the fulcrum H in linewith the pivot F,

thus leaving only thefulcrum U operative and causing the shaft t tooscillate and move the feeder is equally in both directions. A vibratingfeed-dog, R, under the curved portion 13 of the presser-foot, is thenbrought into action, and causes the work to rotate step by step aroundthe needle, the latter acting as a pivot. Said feed-dog acts after theformation of two stitchesone from the startingpoint and the other backto said pointand,turns This adjustment of the work so that the next twostitches will ex-.

tend in a different direction from the startingpoint from the first two,and so on until a series of radiating stitches, forming a circular Saidfeed-dog B is at- T, and projects upwardly into a segmental slot in thebed b. The rock-shaft T is journaled in bearings on a bracket, U,attached to the under side of the bed I), and is adapted to rise andfall in said bearings with the feeddog R. The central portion of therock-shaft is curved or offset, and a boss, Y, above said offset, bearsupon a cam, W, affixed to the shaftr. Aspring, X, presses said bossdownwardly uponsaid cam. These parts-via, the cam NV and spring Xcausethe feed-dog to rise and fall. A cam, Z, on the shaft r, bears against aboss, 8, on the offset portion of the rock-shaft T, once during eachrotation of said shaft r, and turns the rock-shaft laterally while it israised by the cam W, thus causing the feed-dog R to move in the arc of acirclethrough the slot in the bed I), and give the work a partialrotation on the needle. The spring X is adapted to turn the rock-shaft Tlaterally as well as to press it downwardly, and holds the arm S of saidshaft in yielding contact with an adjustable stop, 9,which slides in aslot, 10, in the flange or rim of the bedplate 12, and is secured in anyposition to which it may be adjusted by a thumb-screw,11. By

means of saidstop the length of the feed move-- ment of the dog B may beregulated as may be desired; or said feed-dog may be thrown out ofoperation altogether.

.By the joint use of the circular feed last described, and of thedevices for automatically rotating the disk W, the radiating stitchesproduced by the action of the circular feed may be varied in length, asshown in Fig. 10

It is obvious that the stitches or arrange ment of stitches abovedescribed may be in definitely modified, and that various minorattachments may be added to the machine capable of modifying its resultswithout departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim 1. In a sewing-machine, the combination of the stitch-formingmechanism, the presser, the the feeder pivoted to a slide or plate, therockshaft having an arm containing a guide for said plate, operatingmechanism for said rockshaft, the feeder-bar adapted to slide verticallyin the head or arm of the machine and engaged, as described, with thefeed-carrying slide, and mechanism, operated by the needle-actuatingshaft, whereby the presserbar and feeder-bar are alternately raised andlowered, as set forth.

2. In a sewing-machine, the combination of the stitch-forming mechanism,the feeder .adapted to bear on the upper surface of the work, mechanismwhereby upward and downward movements are imparted to the feeder,mechanism for moving the feeder forward and backward, a feed-dog adaptedto bear against the under surface of the work, mechanism for raising andlowering said feed-dog, and mechanism for moving said feed-dog in thearc of a circle about the needle, as set forth.

3. The combination, in a sewing-machine, of the stitch-formingmechanism, a feed-dog adapted to bear against the under surface of thework, mechanism for raising and lowering said feed-dog, mechanism formoving said feed-dog in the arc of a circle about the needle, and apresser-foot formed to cover the are through which the foot-dog moves,as set forth.

4. The combination, in a sewing-machine, of the stitch-formingmechanism, a feed-dog adapted to bear against the under suface of thework, mechanism. for raising and lowering said feed-dog, mechanism formoving said feed-dog in the arc of a circle about the needle, and anadjustable stop whereby the length of said are may be adjusted, as setforth.

5. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the stitch-forming andrectilinear feeding mechanisms, of the arc feeding mechanism,

composed of the vertical rock-shaft T, having the arm S and feed-dog R,the cam W, adapted to intermittently elevate said rock-shaft and dog,the cam Z whereby the rock-shaft and dog are turned or moved laterally,and a spring or springs whereby the rock-shaft is pressed against andcaused to follow said cams, as set forth.

6. The combination of the stitch-forming mechanism, the rock-shaft T,having the arm S and feed-dog R, means for raising and lowering andoscillating said rock-shaft, arm, and dog, and the adj ustable-stop 9,adapted to slide in a slot formed in the flange of the bed-plate, andprovided with means for positively holding it in any position to whichit may be adjusted, as set forth.

7. The combination, with the reciprocating needle and shuttle, of thepivoted shuttle-carrying lever 11, the globe-cam having a camgroovereceiving the shorter end of said lever and formed in a surface which isthe segment of a hollow sphere whose center is the vertical plane of thepivot of lever n, and the variable mechanism (as gears s t u o and shaftn) where by the globe-cam is driven, substantially as set forth.

8. In a sewing-machine, the combination of the stitch-forming mechanism,the feeder, the rock-shaft having an arm connected, as described, withthe carrier of the feeder, the lever E, pivoted to a block journaled onsaid shaft, means for oscillating said lever by the power of themachine, and the adjustable fulcrum H, whereby the oscillations of thelever may be caused to reciprocate the rock-shaft lengthwise, as setforth:

9. The combination,with the stitch-forming mechanism and the feedingmechanism of a sewing machine, of the rock-shaft, the lever E, means foroscillating said lever, the vertically-adj ustable fulcrum H, and thejournaled disk K, having a cam-groove, J, whereby said fulcrum may beadjusted, as set forth.

10. In a sewing-machine, the combination of the stitch-formingmechanism, the feeder, the rock-shaftlhaving an arm connected, asdescribed, with the carrier of the feeder, and provided with an arm, M,the lever N, pivoted to the frame of the machine and engaged, asdescribed, with the arm M, the system of levers Q S Z, arranged asshown, the cams T A on the driving-shaft, engaged, respectively, withthe levers S Z, and the ad justable fulcrums U B, engaged with thelevers Q Z, all arranged and operating to oscillate the rock-shaft, asset forth.

11. The combination of the stitch-forming mechanism, the feeder, therock-shaft having at one end an arm connected, as described, with thecarrier of the feeder, and at the other end an arm, M, the lever E,pivoted to a block on the rock-shaft, means for oscillating said lever,the adjustable fulcrum H for said lever, the lever N, pivoted to theframe of the machine and engaged, as described, with the arm M of therock-shaft, the system of IIO [ justed, as set forth.

13. The combination, with the stitch-forming mechanism, the feeder andits immediate connections, and rock-shaft t and its operating-levers N QS Z, of the adjustable fulcrum B and devices, substantially asdescribed,-for adjusting said fulcrum, as set forth.

14. The combination, with the stitch-forming mechanism, the feedmechanism, and rockshaft t and its operating-levers N Q S Z, of theadjustable fulcrums U B and their operating devices, as set forth. I

15. The combination, with the stitch-forming mechanism, the feedmechanism, and rockshaft t and its system of operating-levers, of theadjustable fulcrums H U, the cams J V for adjusting said fulcrums, andconnecting devices whereby said cams may be simultaneously rotated.

16. The combination of the stitch-forming mechanism the feeder k, thecircular feeddog R and its operating mechanism, the rock-shaft t, havingthe arm M, the operating devices N Q S Z, the adjustable fulcrum U, andmechanism, substantially as described, for adjusting said fulcrumautomatically, and thereby automatically varying the length of theradiating stitches, formed by the j oint action of said feeder and dog,as set forth.

17. The combination, with the stitch-forming mechanism, the feeder, andthe rockshaft and its system of operating-levers, of the adjust-ablefulcrums H U, the cams J V for adjusting said levers, connecting deviceswhereby said cams are caused to rotate simultaneously, and mechanism,substantially as described, for rotating said cams automatically, andthereby varying the length of spacing of the herring-bone stitches, asset forth.

18. The combination, with the stitch-forming mechanism, the feeder, andthe rockshaft and its system of operating levers, of the adjustablefulcrums H U, the cams J V for adjusting said levers, connecting deviceswhereby said cams are caused to rotate simultaneously, the ratchet J,affixed to the back of the disk containing the cam V, a dog, K, andoperating mechanism therefor, whereby said ratchet and disk are rotatedstep by step, and means for varying the throw of said dog, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, the 9th and 10th days ofNovember, 1883.

ERASTUS WOODWARD. THOMAS K. KEITH.

Witnesses as to signature of Erastus Voodward:

O. F. BROWN, A. L. WHITE.

Witnesses as to signature of Thomas B Keith:

RoswELL GARLETON, FRANCIS H. PEARL.

